handgun reloads all over the target

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

springfield2

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2017
Messages
16
Hi everyone,i just got back into reloading after taking a five year break from it.Anyway i have shot 5 idpa matches with my gunwith no issues right up until yesterday.Slide failed to lock back on 3 of the 6 stages that were there that day.Idid recently put ain after market wolf spring in it .I had issues of slide not wanting to close all the way.I think maybe the spring was wore out so thats why i got the wolf spring.I ordered the spring for factory ammo,but a week later i started reloading not thinking if the spring was to strong for the reloads.With the slide not locking back on the last round the reloads may be to weak to push the slide back to the rear to lock it.At the same time i had shot 5 idpa matches with no cycling issues even though the gun has the factory spec recoil spring in it.right now i shoot 4.3 of 231 with extreme 124 grainRN.Yesterday i had my reloads scatter all over the targets for the entire match.I know you have your good days and your bad days,but not like this.I am a very accurate shooter,i mean i guess its possible but were talking a full size idpa target being missed at 8 to 10 yards away.I use a slight crimp to where it doesn't look like any crimp.A lot of the guys i shoot with say they barely crimp there semi auto rounds at all.even remington umc has almost no crimp at all.I shoot 9mm i have been told they need almost no crimp very little like a taper crimp.Yesterday was the first day i have had accuracy issues from my xdm and it is a tac driver.I use the same exact load and primer and everything elseI have the lock and load progressive press so everything is locked in ,nothing moves and i check every case for powder as it comes around.i would be very grateful if someone couldgivr me an idea my all the sudden my ammo is acting all messed up inconsistent.Also with the load i am using should i try a lighter recoil spring the factory 9mm xdm is 18lbs.maybe i should go 16lbs.I dont know i do know in the past my thumb has rode the slide stop so on the last round if your thumb is on the silde stop it wont lock back and then you pull the trigger and get a dry fire.That could also be the reason it did not lock back on me 3 times yesterday.I have an idpa state championship coming up in 2 weeks and i have to figure this out.thank you!if you want to call me its ok 570 867 1061 thankyou and have a good holiday
 
When one of my guns starts shooting poorly I go through and check all the common things that can go wrong starting with the sights to make sure that they are tight and not moving around when shooting, Check the barrel for copper and lead fouling, more than once a good cleaning with Sweets 7.62 and/or a good lead remover has brought accuracy back.

When I've made a mod to the gun like a spring change prior to the change in accuracy I'd replace all the parts back to the ones that where in there when you where getting good results and see if the accuracy returns and find out if its the gun or the ammo. If you have loaded rounds left of the batch that was showing poor accuracy, pull a sample and weight the charges and bullets to make sure they are consistent as you wouldn't notice a +/- 1/10 ths visually. W231 generally meters very consistently. If there is a discrepancy between loads make sure your powder measure settings are tight and haven't slipped or experienced any powder bridging problems since your last loading session.

The bullets could be out of spec so measure a sampling of diameter esp if you've opened a new container of bullets recently.
 
I have had boxes of X-treme bullets that just wouldn't shoot accurately out of a particular pistol. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. You might try loading up some jacketed ball or JHP's from a different manufacturer, keeping everything the same except the bullet.
 
If it were me I think I would be looking at my crimp. For me, when I started loading 9mm, it took time to get the crimp right. For whatever reason, I over crimped them. Once I figured out the crimp, or lack of crimp, I started to get solid accurate rounds. I use a LNL AP press as well. It might be worth the time to check that nothing has moved or come out of adjustment, or come loose. Or as others have said, maybe you just got a bad batch of bullets. Good luck.
 
Putting in a stronger recoil spring to try to correct failure to seat ammo is going the wrong direction. The bullets should drop freely into the barrel and chamber just as easily...so look at your crimping and OAL for feed problems...and put the stock spring back in the gun, at least to start. XD's should run for a LONG time on the stock spring especially in 9mm.
 
Just as a comparison, I found 4.8 as the best charge for W231/HP38 when using X-treme 124g RN. 9mm seems to stay cleaner and more accurate near max charge. Second, if you can notice a "crimp" then you are crimping too much. Pull one of your bullets and see it is "deformed" by the crimp, if so then you are crimping too much. You should not see a "ring" around the bullet.
Bullet set back is really a function of your sizing die.
 
Two things: 1) What's your barrel slug readings? Xtreme's are 355's. 2)They used to include on their website negative reviews. Looks like they've redone their bullet testimonials section. Used to have a review from a fellow in Winnemucca NV (can't recall if it was in the 115 or 124 product section) who slammed their bullets. They were very inaccurate as far as he was concerned. I had to chuckle at why would a bullet maker post and keep such a negative review on their own site? But I've found them to be good bullets. As others have said, you may have gotten a bad batch.
 
springfield2 said:
recently put ain after market wolf spring in it .
Click to expand...
springfield2 said:
i had shot 5 idpa matches with no cycling issues even though the gun has the factory spec recoil spring in it.right now
Click to expand...
springfield2 said:
a full size idpa target being missed at 8 to 10 yards away.I
Click to expand...
springfield2 said:
in the past my thumb has rode the slide stop so on the last round if your thumb is on the silde stop it wont lock back
Click to expand...

I see an ammo problem. Missing the target at 10 yards would be a clue.

As for springs, buy factory new replacements.
 
i cant really help with this other than i shoot extreme 124gr RN with 4.2gr of HP-38 in my m&p fullsize and my first 100rds using someone on here's OAL i was able to put a 17rd mag in about a baseball/softball at about 15-20ft. I didn't load any 9mm for about 6 months and recently took the berrys OAL they slung all over the place and all left. I have since loaded another 50 at a shorter seat depth which i believe is 1.140 but haven't been able to test them. Maybe someone else can chime in on that part because im at work now and don't have my notes of what the good OAL was.

i would also run factory through it and see how it groups. :)
 
Did all your reloads drop in and out of a Chamber Gauge after you reloaded them or did you plunk them in you barrel?

What velocity are you getting with your load out of your XD?

I personally wouldn't start working up a new load in my IDPA gun a couple of weeks before a major match, unless I was able to hit the range several times a week to test and chrono
 
4.3 of 231 is close to max for a 124 grain bullet. So it's not the load causing reliability issues. The pistol ever function properly with that load?
Like murf says, what's it doing with factory?
"...scatter all over the targets..." You work up the load?
 
Welcome to THR. springfield2


You shouldn't need to change from a stock recoil spring unless you are using really light loads IMO. 4.3gr of W231 with a 125 is not heavy but not that light.
My XD subcompact will function fine with a 100gr bullet and 4gr of HP38 (W231) That load is very light and is getting close to not enough with that bullet weight.
4.3gr of 231 with a 125 should be somewhere between 1000 and say 1050 fps depending on OAL pistol etc. Maybe skirting on the edge of 125 PF maybe not.
I have 5 differennt 9mms and while I don't normally load Xtremes with HP38 I have in the past. None of my pistols had any issues with various 124/125gr bullets and 4.3gr HP38.
4.3gr was my "normal" HP38 load. (note HP38 and W231 are the SAME powder)

Lots of things could be wrong but if the load has worked well in the past I would think of these things first
Bad batch of bullets? If you have any left measure some. If you have any of the loaded ammo left pull a few rounds and measure the bullets.
Over crimping can reduce the bullet diameter which will make accuracy go to poop.
I happen to like and use the Lee FCD but you can resize bullets with it if your not careful. ( i don't think you mentioned what dies you were using)
I know you said thing hadn't changed on the press but it always pays to double check. Reloading fairies can come visit at night when you are asleep and are capable of some evil tricks.;)

Possible bad brass? If you have some of the loaded rounds left check the neck tension. I just give them a sharp rap bullet down on a piece of 2X4. If neck tension is good the OAL shouldn't change.
If the bullet ends up deeper on some but not others (or all of them)the brass might be an issue.

Another thought would be possible powder contamination. is it possible it got wet, or something else might have happened to it? (not likely but possible)

Bad lot of primers? (not likely but possible)

Hope you get it figured out.

PS: I don't know about IDPA targets but I can tell you USPSA targets are capable of trying to dodge bullets.:)
 
Last edited:
When was the last time you cleaned the barrel? Could be leaded.......

Have you miked your bullets, could be some under size. Have you slugged your barrel? my sig barrel lugs at 0.357"
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

B
  • Locked
.380 reloading problem
Replies
20
Views
3K
Sky King
S
S
  • Locked
First batch of .45 reloads and some questions
Replies
4
Views
609
evan price
evan price
G
  • Locked
45colt reloading issues with cases
Replies
10
Views
784
Hondo 60
Hondo 60
G
  • Locked
Springfield 1911: Bad Feeding Problems with Reloads and Rainer Bullets
Replies
18
Views
2K
Gnarkill
G
O
  • Locked
Reloading on the move...target to target
Replies
9
Views
785
HSMITH
H
Back
Top